One in seven people in the UK have experienced tinnitus

A study carried out by
the Royal National Institute for the Deaf found that one in seven people in the
UK have experienced tinnitus.

Tinnitus
is a perception of sounds that are generated by the nervous system of the ear
and brain. It
is often perceived and described as
ringing, humming, whistling or buzzing noises which can be constant or periodic and
vary in loudness. It is a common symptom suffered to some extent by 15-20% of
the general population. Tinnitus is a common problem experienced in particular
by those with hearing loss. 70-85% of
people with hearing lossexperienced tinnitus. Only
10 - 25% of tinnitus sufferers seek medical attention.

Tinnitus Awareness Week will take place this month from Monday 6th until Sunday 12th February 2012. The 2012 campaign will aim to encourage better tinnitus awareness among primary care practitioners.

Whilst
it is generally accepted that tinnitus involves some kind of neural activity which
the brain interprets as sound, the etiology of tinnitus remains uncertain. Regardless of the
cause, there is a high correlation between hearing loss and tinnitus. Factors that are known to
exacerbate tinnitus include; caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, sodium, high
cholesterol, hyperlipidemia, hyper and hypothryroidism, noise exposure and stress.

For
many individuals, tinnitus is more of an irritant than a problem. However, for some, tinnitus can impact
significantly on overall well being. Problems associated with
tinnitus include; depression, problems with sleep, poor concentration and even
social withdrawal.

Negative
emotion is often attached to the tinnitus.
Feelings of fear and anxiety associated with tinnitus can impact
significantly on a person’s life quality.
Once medical evaluation has ruled out a treatable or serious disorder,
education and reassurance can be extremely valuable and impact positively for
many sufferers. Research has shown that
counselling (informational and adjustment) in combination with sound stimulation
to help reduce the stress associated with tinnitus can be very useful in
managing the negative impact of distressing tinnitus.

“It is important for people who experience
troublesome tinnitus to be aware of the support available,” says
Orla Kealy, Audiologist at Cubex. "There are a range of
management options that can be tailored to meet each patient’s personal
needs."

“Determining
how the tinnitus affects a patient's daily life is the first step in any
management programme,” adds Orla. “It
helps us establish the degree and nature of intervention. Counselling therapy aims to equip patients with
the tools and knowledge to manage negative reactions to tinnitus. This may include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy,
education and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy.
Most methods of tinnitus management also incorporate relaxation therapy
and the use of sound in some manner to reduce the negative effects of
tinnitus.”